Nelson Mandela Bay reduces water consumption ahead of festive season

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

Cape Town - With the summer holidays officially here, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has enforced bylaws and regulations to reduce water consumption.

The enforcement, with immediate effect, is targeted at businesses that use a lot of water - such as car washes - as well as townhouses and flats with water metering practices.“All car washes will be issued with notices stating that if they are not either recycling as required or utilising a non-municipal supply of water by the time our dam levels reach 25%, they will be required to terminate their activities,” says the municipality.

Following in Cape Town's steps, as part of its water reduction goals, the municipality will also reduce the number of public swimming pools that will be open for summer.

According to Herald Live, this is due to the lack of impact of the rains to parched grounds that soaked up the downpours in the region’s rain catchment areas. The average dam levels only increased by about 1% from 28.6% of capacity on 13 November to 29.83% on 01 December.

Based on current water consumption levels, the metro’s supply would run out by August next year.

Reducing swimming pools for summer

“Given the current water situation and restrictions in place, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality will be opening selected pools only this summer season,” says the municipality.

“These pools are generally situated in areas further away from our beaches, and they are filled with borehole water.”

Swimming pools in Schauderville, Zwide, KwaNobuhle, Despatch, High Street and Wells Estate were open on 01 December. From Friday, 15 December the municipality will also be opening swimming pools in Varsvlei, Gelvandale and James Kleynhans.

Rosedale swimming pool in Uitenhage remains closed and will be opened as soon as all structural repairs have been completed.

The municipal-owned but privately run McArthur pool complex is running as normal. While the Newton Park swimming pool remains open, however, St George’s Park will be closed.